


you'll be mine and i'll be yours (everything has changed)

by godgavemelou



Series: larry in tennessee universe [1]
Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: M/M, also i wrote my first piece of smut in this so there's that, i live in tn too and based this entirely off my own experience, idk just read it, if you're from tennessee don't take offense, like nothing but tooth rotting fluff, niall is also in it for like a second im sorry, this is pure fluff okay
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-12
Updated: 2015-04-12
Packaged: 2018-03-22 13:37:25
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,348
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3730909
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/godgavemelou/pseuds/godgavemelou
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Harry’s face is incredibly close to Louis’ now, and Louis feels the laughter begin to die in his chest. Harry looks beautiful, the bright moon lighting up the water on his face, and Louis wants to kiss him. He wants to kiss him in this murky lake, shivering from the ice cold water, without having to worry about anyone sneering at him from behind his back. It’s just him and Harry now. Harry, whose smile has faded and his eyes are looking right into Louis’. Harry, who shines like the sun and makes Louis forget how to breathe. Louis can’t think of ever wanting anything as much as he wants to kiss Harry right now. He’s known him less than a day, but he’s never felt like this with anyone.</p><p>"I'm gonna kiss you now," Harry mumbles, his voice low and soft.</p><p>OR an AU set in the backwoods of Tennessee where Louis can't seem to find a pair of shoes and Harry is new to town.</p>
            </blockquote>





	you'll be mine and i'll be yours (everything has changed)

**Author's Note:**

> Hello everyone!! I just wanted to say that, as much as it might seem like it, nothing in this should be taken as discriminatory. Everything is based on my own experiences of living in a small town. Please take no offense!
> 
> This has also been translated into polish so you can go [here](http://my-turn-to-say-meow.tumblr.com/post/120775794452/tytul-youll-be-mine-and-ill-be) to read it
> 
> Also, I've never written smut before so please be kind! Enjoy :)

The first thing Louis thinks when he steps out on to his porch is that it’s way too fucking hot to be May.

There isn’t a cloud in the sky, and the air is thick and sticky with humidity. Louis can already feel his t-shirt sticking to his back. Despite the heat, there are kids littered all down the road, playing kickball in the cul-de-sac. Among those kids are his sisters, Daisy and Phoebe, and as he makes his way down the porch and in to the yard, he looks over and gives them a wave. Before his feet can even touch the pavement, he can hear his mom opening the screen door.

“Louis, you better have shoes on,” she shouts, and Louis chuckles. She knows him way too well. He turns around gives her a smirk.

“I’d hope you knew me better than that, Momma.”

His mother just rolls her eyes and slams the screen door as she walks back in the house. Louis, still smiling, steps on the hot pavement in nothing but his bare feet. As he makes his way down the road, he notices the house four doors down is being moved into. There are two women laying in the grass, while a younger boy who looks to be Louis’ age carries boxes in the house. 

“Do you need any help with those?” Louis hollers, making the women in the yard rise up and look at him. 

The boy carrying the box turns to face him and then eyes the ladies in the grass.

“I wouldn’t need help if my sister would get up and help me,” the boy says. Louis looks over and one of the girls, who looks to be in her mid-twenties, groans.

“Harry, it’s hotter than blazes! You know – “

“Which is WHY I’d love your help, sister dearest,” Harry interrupts his sister, giving her a sarcastic smile. Louis giggles behind his hand.

The older woman stands up and walks over to Louis, offering him her hand.

“My name is Anne, these are my trouble children, Harry and Gemma,” she says, while Harry and Gemma shout a ‘hey!’ behind her back.

“I’m Louis, I live down the road. Where y’all from?”

“New York,” Harry drawls. 

Louis turns his attention to Harry, and finally gets a good look at him. He’s tall, at least five inches taller than Louis, with a thick curtain of curls hanging down to his shoulders. He’s dressed like he belongs in the city, with skinny jeans on, despite it being almost 90 degrees, and a billowy shirt only half buttoned. He’s also wearing a pair of beat up boots. Louis smirks and raises his eyebrows.

“Yeah, I can tell. People down here don’t wear boots when it’s hot enough to fry an egg on the sidewalk,” Louis states, earning a laugh from Anne and Gemma. Harry smiles and gives Louis a once over, eyes shining. Louis notices that they’re a bright shade of green.

“Apparently, you guys don’t wear shoes at all,” Harry grins, and Louis barks out a laugh.

“Touché.” 

Anne wipes off the back of her shorts and steps over to Harry, getting the box from his hands.

“I’ll get that Harry, you take a break. Louis, it was very nice meeting you!” Louis smiles at her and Gemma as they both make their way into the small house. Then he turns his attention to Harry. He’s smiling brightly at Louis, green eyes shiny and wide. A thought pricks at the back of his brain; Harry is quite beautiful.

“Sooooo,” Louis draws out, “I was just about the head to White Star down the road, you wanna go with me?”

Harry squints at him and furrows his brow.

“White Star?”

“Damn, I forgot you ain’t from around here. It’s a little gas station with a deli down the bend, I want an icee.”

Harry looks like he’s trying to stifle a laugh.

“What’s so funny?”

“I just didn’t actually think people from Tennessee talked that way,” he chuckles, “It’s actually kind of endearing.” Louis purses his lips.

“You coming or what, Curly?”

\--

It’s two hours later, and Harry and Louis are sitting by a small creek that runs behind their road. Louis is slurping on a 44 ounce Mountain Dew icee that has more sugar than should be legal while Harry stares up at the bright blue sky. The sun is starting to set, and Harry realizes this place is beautiful. From the mountains that seem to be everywhere he looks, to the cows walking slowly in the field across the creek, to the boy sitting beside him in the grass, he’s awestruck. Harry looks over at Louis and takes him in. He’s small but looks fierce. He has high cheekbones and a sharp jaw that’s covered by a bit of scruff. His hair is soft and feathery and rests on his forehead. He looks down at his own bare feet and grins, thinking back to when Louis mocked his boots. As soon as they sat on the river, Louis had reached over and pulled the zipper on the back of them, forcing Harry to take the boots off.

“We don’t wear shoes around here, kid,” Louis had said, smirking at him. Harry’s breath had gotten caught in his throat at the sight of him. Maybe it was the heat. But that thought melts like the icee in Louis’ hands as it starts to cool around them and turn dark.

“So Harry, what brings you to this tiny ole town?” Louis is lying down on the grass now, his head turned towards Harry.

“I’m going to start college in the fall, and my family decided they wanted to come with me,” he says. “This place is close by and keeps me from living on campus. We can’t really afford the housing.”

“Going to University of Tennessee, I’d gather?” Louis is yanking grass from the ground, making dirt gather on his fingers.

“Yeah, it seems to be a great place. Is that where you go to school?” The question leaves Harry’s mouth and almost instantly, Louis turns his head away, suddenly guarded.

“Er, not exactly.”

“What do you mean?” Louis lifts up but still won’t meet Harry’s eyes. His blue eyes are glued to the mountains in the distance.

“I’m not the school type. Besides, I can’t afford it, not even the community college in the next town over.”

“Oh,” Harry mumbles, and suddenly, he feels embarrassed. “I didn’t mean to – “

“No!” Louis turns to him, interrupting him. “Don’t feel bad, I’m sorry. I just – I didn’t mean to make you feel sorry for me or anything.” 

It gets quiet after that, neither of them knowing what to say. As the sun gets lower in the sky, fireflies start to flutter around them. He looks over at Louis for the first time in about ten minutes, and the shadows from the fading sun cast a beautiful light across his face. Harry feels a bit breathless.

When the sun has fully set and the sky is littered with nothing but stars, Louis grabs Harry’s hand and pulls him up, leading him back to their road. In a matter of minutes, they’re standing in front of Harry’s house.

“What are you doing tomorrow?” Louis practically shouts, turning towards Harry, with a smile starting to bloom on his face.

“Nothing, I guess. Unpacking mostly. Why?”

“I’ll meet you at your house around 9pm. Wear rainboots.”

With that, Louis takes off running to his house, looking back only once to give Harry a wave and a smile. Harry stands there for a minute longer before shaking his head and going inside, wondering what on earth Louis has planned.

\--

At 9 on the dot, Harry is standing in his best boots, looking for Louis to make his way down the road. In a few minutes, Louis comes into sight dressed in jeans and a white shirt that says “White Star” in the corner.

“Sorry! I just got off work, didn’t mean to be late.” Louis looks radiant, despite having, what looks like grease, on his cheek and flour on his jeans. Harry is fucked, honestly. 

“You work at White Star?”

“Yep,” Louis says, while pulling Harry by his arm towards his house. “Me and dear ole Niall. You’ll meet him eventually. He goes to UT, too.”

They reach Louis’ driveway where a lone truck is parked, a boat attached to the back. Harry raises his eyebrows and turns to Louis, who has the biggest smile on his face.

“Where are we going?”

“Harry, me and you are going fishin’ in the dark.”

After laughing at Harry’s initial reaction to going fishing, pushing him in the truck, and driving the ten minutes to the nearest lake, Louis gets Harry in the small boat. They linger close to shore, only about 30 feet away from the dock, while Louis teaches Harry how to cast his line. It takes Harry a while to get the hang of, simply because Harry moves like a newborn deer. Louis tries not to the think about how cute that is, just like he’s trying not to think how good Harry looks in the dark with his long hair pulled back into a bun. He’s ditched his city clothes for a t-shirt and dark jeans that are tucked into his boots. 

Time passes slowly and nothing bites, so Louis sits his fishing pole near the edge of the boat before sitting down.

“So Louis,” Harry is looking at him sheepishly, like he’s afraid or embarrassed, “where’s your girlfriend?”

Louis snorts, and then full out laughs at Harry’s question, which makes Harry flush a deep red.

“Very subtle, Styles.” Louis likes the way his name feels on his tongue, having learned his last name on the way to the lake.

“Oops.” Harry grins and sits down by Louis, his pole still in his hand. It’s quiet for a minute before Louis takes a deep breath and prepares himself.

“I don’t have a girlfriend, by the way.” Harry turns to him and his face is quite neutral when he asks “Oh?”

“I’m, um,” Louis whispers before clearing his throat and meeting Harry’s eyes. “I’m gay.”

Harry smiles at him, which is something Louis isn’t used to when admitting that certain secret to anyone, and he feels a litter of butterflies start to flutter in his stomach.

“You aren’t mad?” Louis feels hopeful, like Harry might be the first person who doesn’t cry, or yell, or threaten him after telling him he’s gay. It makes his heart hammer in his chest when Harry laughs and brings his hand to Louis’ fringe, pushing it away from his eyes.

“Of course not. Besides, that’d be pretty hypocritical of me.”

Louis’ heart rate picks up and then he feels himself smiling, so grateful that Harry isn’t yelling at him, or disgusted. Then, his heart stops and his breath catches, finally registering what Harry said in its full form.

“Wait. What?” 

“Yeah, I’m gay too. It’s nothing to be ashamed of Lou.” Louis’ eyes start to well up as Harry looks at him, acting like this isn’t something that’s shaped his entire life, made him lose every friend he’s ever had, drove his dad away, and ripped him away from everything he’s ever known. 

“Maybe not where you’re from, but it is here.”

A look passes across Harry’s face at that, Louis thinks it might be hurt, before Harry grabs Louis’ hand and giving it a squeeze.

“I’m sorry.”

Then, Louis’ fishing pole begins to bend, the line pulling as hard as it can. Louis shouts and grabs the pole, pulling on the line as Harry leans over the boat, looking for what they’ve caught in the murky water. Louis keeps reeling, and then pulls a catfish from the water. He grabs it by the mouth and looks over at Harry, whose eyes are wide and he looks just a hint of terrified.

“What’s the matter, Harry, ain’t never seen a fish before?” When Harry doesn’t answer, Louis gets an awful idea and flings the fish at Harry who screams at the top of his lungs when it hits his chest. He flails around, despite the fish being long gone, and trips over his own feet, falling off the boat and into the water. Louis doubles over in laughter, his chest hurting from how hard he’s laughing, and then he feels the boat tip and finally turn over, flinging him in the water.

Louis coughs and sputters before turning and seeing Harry, who’s laughing at him. Louis sputters again and starts to laugh.

“You’re a menace!” Harry says, swimming over to Louis.

“You’re one to talk! You tipped the boat over!”

“You threw a fish at my head!”

Harry’s face is incredibly close to Louis’ now, and Louis feels the laughter begin to die in his chest. Harry looks beautiful, the bright moon lighting up the water on his face, and Louis wants to kiss him. He wants to kiss him in this murky lake, shivering from the ice cold water, without having to worry about anyone sneering at him from behind his back. It’s just him and Harry now. Harry, whose smile has faded and his eyes are looking right into Louis’. Harry, who shines like the sun and makes Louis forget how to breathe. Louis can’t think of ever wanting anything as much as he wants to kiss Harry right now. He’s known him less than a day, but he’s never felt like this with anyone.

Harry lifts his hand and touches Louis’ cheek. Louis thanks God above that he’s wading water right now, because he’s sure his knees would be giving out.

“I’m gonna kiss you now,” Harry mumbles, his voice low and soft. Louis’ breath catches in his throat and before he can think, before he can even blink, Harry is leaning in, capturing his lips with Louis’.

Louis moves, bringing his arms around Harry’s neck and pulling him in closer so their entire bodies touch. It’s electrifying and better than anything Louis has ever known. Harry licks into his mouth and Louis fights back a groan. He reaches up and pulls the elastic from Harry’s hair, letting the wet ringlets fall so he can grasp it in his hands. He feels like he can’t get close enough to Harry, and everything is sparking and catching fire, and Louis hasn’t felt this alive in a long time.

When Harry pulls away, he rests his forehead on Louis’ and smiles.

“I’ve been wanting to do that since I saw you barefoot in my yard.”

Louis laughs and feels like his chest might explode.

“Come on,” Harry says, “let’s get out of this water. I’m fucking freezing.”

Together, they pull the boat back to the dock and hook it to the truck. By the time they’ve climbed in the truck and driven home, it’s past midnight. Louis’ climbs out of the truck and walks around to Harry’s side, smiling when he sees Harry pull at his wet clothes. When he notices Louis watching him, he smiles back.

“I guess I better head home. I can’t stand these wet clothes much longer.”

Louis walks up to Harry and wraps his arms around his waist, putting his face into Harry’s chest.

“Thank you,” Louis murmurs, his voice muffled by the wet fabric.

“What for?”

“For being the first person to understand me, and accept me for who I am.” Louis looks up at him and bites his lip, trying to stop a smile. “And for the kiss too, I guess.”

Harry feels like someone has stolen every bit of air from his lungs, and when he leans down to hug Louis as tight as he can, Harry kisses the spot behind Louis’ ear and whispers, “You’re welcome”.

\--

May passes and turns into June, bringing nothing but more heat and more humidity. When Louis isn’t working, him and Harry are bound at the hip. They get in Louis’ truck and drive around for hours, sometimes listening to the country music stations and other times they talk the entire time, sharing stories and secrets. Louis takes Harry muddin’ and takes him to the dirt track to watch the races. They go outside of town and Louis shows Harry the University he’ll be attending in the fall, and they get lost in the city because Harry can’t stop leaning over and kissing Louis, which makes Louis miss about three turns and run a red light.

After the night at the lake, it feels like they can’t get enough of each other. Louis knows they’re moving fast, but when Harry holds his hand outside the White Star and doesn’t even mind the looks they get, Louis thinks his heart might combust. He’s never met anyone like Harry. He’s all smiles and sunshine, and Louis starts falling fast. 

He tells him about his family, all his beautiful sisters and brother, and his mom that he loves more than anything. He tells Harry about his dad, who left when Louis decided to come out, leaving him and his mother alone to take care of his siblings. He tells Harry about his best friend, Stan, who told his entire senior class that Louis was gay, which ruined his final year of school. He has tears in his eyes when he tells Harry about missing prom, his graduation, and everything he was supposed to enjoy. Harry doesn’t say a word the entire time, listens as best as he can, and when Louis finally takes a breath, Harry hugs him tight and suddenly everything seems a bit less dark.

Louis knows the town is talking, knows that when he steps into the grocery store and everyone looks at him, everyone is watching him and judging him. But when Harry is holding his hand as they jump rocks in the creek deep in the mountains, or when they’re spray painting their names on a water tank, or kissing until they’re breathless, nothing else matters. 

\--

The door of White Star jingles and when Louis moves from behind the counter to greet the customer, he sees Harry standing with a bag of McDonalds. 

“I brought you lunch, Lou.”

Louis smiles and wants to kiss him across the counter, loving that Harry walked all the way here to eat lunch with him. Louis wipes his hands on his apron and then, as he’s walking around the counter, Niall pops out from behind a shelf he’s been stocking and smiles at them.

“Is that Harry?” Niall’s accent is thick, much thicker than Louis’, and has a twang behind it. 

“Yeah, Ni. Harry, this is Niall.”

Harry holds out his hand for Niall to shake, but Niall pushes past it and hugs him tight, laughing.

“No need for formal introductions here! Welcome to town. I’ve heard a lot about you. Louis won’t shut – “ Louis kicks Niall’s shin and then smiles brightly at Harry, feigning innocence. He snatches the McDonalds bag from Harry’s hand, and walks to the back of the store, sitting at one of the tables. Harry and Niall join him, Harry sitting beside him and Niall across the table. They split the food up and eat, making conversation. Niall and Harry talk about school in the fall and football, which causes a heated argument comparing the SEC to the Big Ten. 

“You can’t honestly tell me that the SEC isn’t the dominating conference. We had 6 teams in the top ten last season!” Niall is way too passionate about football, loving the Vols (UT’s college team) more than anyone Louis knows. It’s the only reason he’s going to UT, aside from the fact that he’s marching in their band.

“No, Big Ten is just going through a rough spot. They’ll be back on top soon enough.”

Niall snorts and adjusts the snapback he’s wearing, bright orange with a white ‘T’ across the front, before standing up and walking to the back of the store.

“I ain’t gonna listen to this nonsense.”

Louis laughs into his cheeseburger as Harry stumbles on his words, clearly taken back. When he looks at Louis, chuckling under his breath, Louis leans and kisses him, tasting sweet tea on his tongue.

\--

When Louis walks around to the back of Harry’s house sometime in the middle of July, he doesn’t expect to see Harry mowing the yard, shirtless and sweaty in nothing but his jean shorts. His hair is up again, tied tight in a bun, and Louis’ stomach does a flip. He looks gorgeous, his tan skin shining under the hot sun, the muscles in his arms and back flexing. It’s hot outside, but Louis suddenly feels even hotter and he wants to touch Harry’s skin, feel those muscles under his fingers. 

Eventually, Harry turns around and sees Louis watching. He smirks and turns off the mower before walking over to him. He leans down and kisses Louis soundly, not hesitating to lick into his mouth. Harry smells of the sun and grass, and his skin is hot, but Louis wraps his arms around his neck anyway, taking Harry’s bottom lip between his teeth.

“See something you like?” Harry mumbles against his lips, and Louis touches his chest, feeling the muscles ripple under his touch. 

“Maybe,” Louis grins and kisses Harry again, but the kiss is soft this time and Louis’ heart flutters in his chest.

“What are we doing tonight?” Harry asks, and Louis doesn’t hear anything but _we_. 

“I’ve got an idea, but we can’t go until it’s dark.”

“If you say we’re going fishing, I’ll say no.” Louis laughs and hits Harry’s chest playfully.

“We aren’t going fishing, I promise. Just meet me out here around 10?”

Harry leans down and kisses Louis quickly, touching his cheek with a delicate hand, before moving away to get back to mowing. Louis’ bites back a smile before running back to his house, preparing for the night ahead.

\--

The sun sets beautifully, casting red and orange lights across the trees. It’s a warm night, and fireflies are buzzing happily. The clear day continues into the night, and the stars shine bright against a dark blue sky. When Harry walks outside around 9:50, he looks up at the sky and feels incredibly small. He thinks back to New York, where he never saw a single star and wonders if he’ll ever miss it. Sure, he misses the vibe of the city, the people, the culture, but he also loves this small town. Everyone here waves when he walks by their house, and brings his family food on Sundays, and there isn’t a single car that was made past 1994. It’s beautiful in a different way.

The loud roar of a truck shakes Harry and he spins around to see Louis’ truck moving towards his house. When Louis stops in front of his driveway, the window is already down and he’s breathtaking. His hair is a mess, and his hands and shirt are dirty, and Harry thinks he might be in love.

“Whatcha waitin’ on Curly, lets go!” Louis shouts while laying on the horn. Harry laughs and runs around to the passenger side, climbing in and looking straight at Louis. He knows he’s staring, but he can’t look away. Not even when Louis faces him and raises his eyebrow.

“What’s wrong?”

“You look beautiful.” Louis flushes and grips the wheel tightly.

“I just got off work, Harry, I’m covered in – “

Harry cuts him off with his lips, kissing him soundly. Louis’ squeaks, smiles behind the kiss, and then pulls on Harry’s shirt, bringing him across the middle of the seat and practically in to his lap. The radio is playing Shania Twain and it’s stifling hot in the truck, and Harry grips Louis’ waist tightly underneath his white t-shirt. The kiss is heated and messy, teeth clashing because they can’t stop smiling. Harry pushes Louis to the right, knocking his elbow into the horn and it blares loudly making Louis snort and laugh loudly.

“Come on,” Louis whispers into Harry’s mouth, “let’s go.”

They drive about fifteen minutes outside of town, past the Sonic and the grocery store, until there isn’t even a streetlight to be seen. Louis turns off the main road, and heads down a dirt track, moving slowly through the thick woods. They sit quiet the whole way, listening to the radio and holding hands across the seat. Eventually, they make it out of the trees and the road ends, but Louis doesn’t stop. They drive through the tall grass and into the field ahead, the truck bouncing against the uneven ground. When they’re quite far into the field, Louis parks.

“What’s this?” Harry asks.

“I thought we’d have a little sleepover out here. I brought plenty of pillows and blankets, and we won’t have to worry about anyone seeing us.” Louis points his thumb to the bed of the truck, and Harry turns to see it’s covered in pillows. Two blankets are folded neatly in the bed, too, and a small basket that Harry’s sure has food in it.

They climb in the bed of the truck, Louis leaving the keys in the ignition so the radio still plays, and sit quietly while they eat the watermelon Louis packed. Louis is messy as usual, getting the juice all over his chin and hands, and Harry shouldn’t feel endeared but he does. He listens as Louis tells him about what happened at work, something about Niall starting a grease fire, and Louis’ eyes are alive and he’s smiling wide around a laugh, and Harry suddenly doesn’t just think he’s in love. He knows.

He leans over quickly and kisses Louis, interrupting him mid-sentence, catching Louis off guard. They kiss gently, their lips moving slowly and languid. When Harry pulls away, Louis’ eyes are wide.

“What was that for?” Louis sounds so small, his voice more high pitched than normal. Harry takes Louis face in his hands and smiles at him.

Harry knows it’s probably too soon. He knows that it’s only July and he’s known Louis for three months, but he also knows he doesn’t care. It’s been the best three months he’s ever known, from fishing behind their house to shooting fireworks with Niall in the White Star parking lot. It’s been so different from anything he’s known. Louis, the boy who only wears shoes to work and wears ratty shirts and laughs more than he breathes, is beautiful and looking at him like Harry hung the moon, and Harry’s mind is going a million miles a minute thinking about how his whole world has changed because of Louis.

“I love you,” he says, biting his lip lightly as he meets Louis’ eyes.

Louis gasps, almost quiet enough so Harry can’t hear.

“Really?” Louis looks almost scared, his bottom lips worried between his teeth and his eyes glistening because he thinks he might cry, and Harry loves him even more.

“Yes, really,” he giggles. “How could I not?”

Louis lunges at him, rocking the truck and knocking Harry back against the pillows underneath them. He attacks Harry’s lips, not waiting to deepen the kiss, and he sucks on Harry’s bottom lip. They grip each other tight, Louis’ tiny hands pulling Harry’s curls, and there are tears in Louis’ eyes but he’s never been this happy, never this relieved. He pulls away just enough so their lips are barely touching, and he tries to choke back a sob that threatens to break through his chest.

When Louis finally knew who he was, when he told his family he was gay, he always thought he might end up alone. This town, settled in the heart of the Bible belt, is where he belongs but it’s not where he’s wanted. Because here, being gay might be the biggest sin of all, and who in their right mind could love a boy from the backwoods anyway? He knows he doesn’t have much to offer; he barely makes enough money to put gas in his truck and has a mediocre education from the high school two miles down the road. He’s loud and has an accent thicker than molasses, and he lives in a close-minded town deep in the south, but Harry’s here and he doesn’t care about any of that. He doesn’t care that Louis didn’t go to college, or that his feet are always covered in black, or that Louis works 50 hours a week at the local convenience store barely making enough to get by. Harry loves him. Harry _loves him_.

“I love you, I love you so much,” he’s stuttering and gripping Harry’s shirt way too tight, but Harry just chuckles against his mouth and kisses him again, humming against Louis lips.

Harry rolls them over against the pillows, and he can still hear the radio playing in the background and crickets chirping and Louis breathing heavy against his mouth, and he’s hot and sticky from the humid air, but he’s happy and loves Louis more than he thought he ever could love someone.

Louis pulls at Harry’s shirt, popping the buttons free, and he’s muttering _off off off_. Harry undoes the last button and pulls his shirt off, throwing it behind him, and pulls Louis’ shirt up and off next. They’re being messy, hands all over each other, and Louis’ so hot he can’t breathe, and when Harry grinds down against him, he can’t keep back a loud moan. 

Louis didn’t realize how hard he was until now. His dick is pressing hard against his shorts and Louis grinds back up against Harry, trying to relieve the pressure. Louis swallows Harry’s moan and bites his bottom lip, making Harry’s eyes flutter closed.

“F-uck, Harry,” Louis groans. 

He reaches down and pulls at Harry’s zipper, pushing his skinny jeans far enough so he can reach in his pants and take his cock in his hand. Harry swears as Louis twists his hand down, smearing precome down his cock. The angle is awkward, and Louis hands starts to cramp, but Harry is sucking on his neck and Louis thinks he hasn’t taken a breath in the last ten minutes.

Harry groans loud when Louis digs his thumb in the slit. He pulls at Harry fast, trying to get him off, loving the sounds coming from Harry’s mouth. 

“I’m gonna – _fuck_ ” Harry stutters on the last word and Louis pulls him down with his free hand, kissing Harry deep as he comes hard, his hips stuttering. Harry sucks on Louis’ tongue slowly as he comes down from his orgasm. They kiss like that for several minutes before Harry pulls away and moves down, pulling Louis shorts down as he goes. 

Harry pulls Louis’ cock from his pants, and then meets Louis’ eyes as he licks a stripe up his cock. Louis is pretty sure his lungs explode.

“Goddammit,” he shouts, and Harry wraps his lips around him, sucking down until Louis hits the back of his throat. 

Louis fucks up into his mouth, making Harry gag slightly, and when he looks up at Louis with glassy eyes, Louis comes hard in Harry’s mouth as he grips the pillows underneath him. He can feel Harry swallowing around his dick before he lifts up and kisses him. Louis can taste himself on Harry’s tongue.

It’s quiet around them before Harry giggles lightly.

“Did I really just give a blowjob in the back of a truck?” he says.

“Congratulations, Harry, you’re officially a redneck.” Louis answers making Harry laugh loud and fall against Louis’ chest. They laugh longer than it’s probably appropriate, and when Harry rolls off Louis, he immediately grabs him and pulls him close, back to chest. They’re both hot and sweaty but they fall asleep quickly, letting the crickets be their lullaby.

\--

Suddenly it’s August and everything is changing. It gets even hotter, and when Niall starts band camp at the University, Louis takes Harry to watch the Pride of the Southland learn their pregame show before football starts. They watch from a hill behind the practice field, kissing in between bites of the sandwiches they packed, and when they get bored, they walk around campus hand in hand.

Louis takes Harry to Dollywood, a small amusement park about 30 minutes outside of town, and Harry loves every single bit of it. He loves the rides, the atmosphere, the Dolly Parton music that plays through the entire park, and he especially loves the food. They stay there all day until the park closes, and when they don’t want to leave, they travel into the city and stay way too late. They sneak back home as the sun is rising, and Louis has to go straight to work with no sleep, but he doesn’t stop smiling all day.

Eventually, school starts and so does football season. Harry buys two student tickets and brings Louis to a rival game. They climb through all the people, covered in the brightest orange Harry’s ever seen, and drink beer as they wait for the game to start. Then it’s pregame and the entire stadium is on their feet, chanting and singing Rocky Top, and sure the song is annoying as hell but when Harry listens to Louis sing at the top of his lungs, it’s the best song he’s ever heard.

Coming from the north, Harry never followed SEC sports so when Louis tells him this is the biggest game of the year, he gets into the game along with everyone else. The Vols play hard and everyone is on the edge of their seat, and for the first time in years, Tennessee beats Florida. Louis might be crying a bit because 107,000 people are singing and bringing down the goal posts, and when Harry hugs him tight as the clock hits zero, he knows this is all he wants forever.

\--

It’s Sunday morning and the neighborhood is quiet as Louis makes his way to Harry’s house. The October air is warm but nice against his skin. Louis walks around the back and sees Harry sitting on the back porch, a book in his hands and a glass of tea on the side table. Louis also notices Harry’s bare feet tucked underneath him, black and rough, and Louis smiles wide. 

“How’s it going, babe?” Louis asks, plopping down on Harry’s lap. Harry looks up and smiles.

“Pretty good, I’m just catching up on some reading for English Lit.”

Harry’s hair still smells like the creek from when they went skinny dipping the night before, and Louis puts his head against his neck, kissing lightly down Harry’s throat.

“You don’t have shoes on,” he mumbles and Harry giggles when the burst of air tickles his throat.

“Once upon a time, someone told me we don’t wear shoes around here.” Harry says. “Besides, my boyfriend never wears shoes.”

Louis’ heart still beats rapidly when he hears Harry call him his boyfriend, even though he’s been calling him that since July. He kisses Harry’s neck again, lingering for a bit before pulling back and meeting Harry’s eyes.

“Your boyfriend sounds like he’s one smart fella,” Harry snorts at Louis, still not used to the way he talks even after six months of hearing it almost every day.

“He’s pretty great. Beautiful, too.” 

“Oh,” Louis leans down and rests his head on Harry’s shoulder, “please tell me more about how great he is.”

Harry laughs at him and hits him playfully before wrapping his arms around his waist. They sit like that for a while, listening to a few birds sing and each other’s heartbeats before Louis sits up again. Harry puts his arms around Louis’ neck and pulls him closer so their foreheads touch.

“I love you, Lou.” Harry sighs, and Louis loves him too, more than he could ever put into words.

“I love you more,” he says before connecting his lips to Harry’s. He tastes like sugar and tea and lemon, and Louis thinks about how everything has changed in so little time.

In September, the lady who owned White Star asked Louis if he could take over the store. He could work less hours and make more money, and Louis cried when he told Harry only fifteen minutes later. The extra money is being saved, and Louis plans to use that money to enroll in a few classes at the community college next fall.

Harry also took Louis to New York on fall break in early October. Louis hated that he had to wear shoes no matter where they went, but he loved the sights and the music and the people. Harry took Louis to see Newsies after begging his mom for the money to afford tickets. Harry let Louis see the world he knew before Louis’, and while they had fun, they were happy to go back to the quiet of home.

People in the town still stare, and they still talk, but Louis learned to tune it out. Harry met Louis’ mom, and she loved him the minute he walked through the door. Louis’ sisters and brother loved Harry too, and it sparked a new fire in Louis’ chest knowing his family loves Harry as much as he does.

“What’s the plan for today?” Harry asks, breaking the silence.

“I thought we could have a cookout. Momma wants to have one before it starts getting cold.”

Harry looks at Louis, his blue eyes soft and his hair lying messily on his forehead, and wonders where he’d be if he hadn’t picked UT, or if he had decided not to go to school at all. He’d have never known this small town life, where everyone knows everyone else and you have tea with every single meal. He’d have never known Louis; bright, funny, happy Louis.

“Sounds perfect,” Harry leans in and kisses Louis softly.

He can hear the neighbor rev up a lawnmower, and Gemma stirring in the kitchen, and when Louis smiles against his lips, Harry thinks he might be the luckiest guy in the world.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! If you want, you can follow me on tumblr! 
> 
> godgavemelou.tumblr.com


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